This invention relates generally to a fluorescent lamp ballast, and, more particularly to an electronic fluorescent lamp ballast with improved power factor.
Conventional electronic fluorescent lamp ballasts typically include one or more electrolytic capacitors for storing and providing a DC voltage to an inverter. The inverter produces a high frequency signal, a portion of which is fed back for storage by the one or more electrolytic capacitors for purposes of achieving and maintaining a relatively high power factor.
When the lamp fails to ignite or is inadvertently disconnected from the ballast after ignition, the signal fed back can increase resulting in the voltage across the one or more electrolytic capacitors rising to a level which can destroy the latter or other components within the ballast.